The Simple Life
by Therm
Summary: Complete. Several short stories from different character's POV during early childhood and how they were shaped into the people they later became but such small innocent incidents.


The Simple Life

By The Garbage Officer

Challenge response from the BCA board. Challenge set by Howitzer Al, it was to write a story of a characters childhood, with the exception of Hawkeye. I've done a few short pieces about some of the characters and how these events may have shaped them a little.

Something special

A look of wonder spread across Sherman Potters face. It was the first time he'd seen a real animal so close. And not only was he close to this amazing creature but the sheer size and elegance of it was what he was really taken with.

His mother lifted him so he could see the horse without the fence in the way. "What do you think dear?" She asked him, craning her neck round so she could see the joy on her child's face.

"I like it." He said simply.

She had been looking forward to showing him the horses one day, but wanted to wait until he was old enough to really remember it first. Today was the day.

"If you're very careful, you can stroke him." She said, "Watch how I do it." She carefully extended her hand and gently stroked the horses head. After she patted it several times another hand came to join hers. His first feel of an animal he would grow to love dearly. He'd remember the day forever.

When he went away

The sobs rocked him gently as his ma hugged him tightly. He wanted to stop but he couldn't. It made him feel sick a little because he couldn't stop. Under his right arm, squashed between him and his ma's body was the bear he remembered his pa had given him. His ma had brought it into him when she told himabout pa.She didn't say anything now. She had been talking before but was quiet now. He heard sniffing and felt a dampness on him he hadn't noticed before. He pushed the glasses up his nose so that he could see more clearly, even though his eyes still held unshed tears within which made things blurry. Ma was crying too. She wasn't crying when she told him, but she was sad now. Walter felt sadder now, seeing her so unhappy. He wiped his cheeks and turned round to see him ma better. She looked down at her cherished child.

"I'll take care of you ma." He said and he reached round and hugged her tummy as tightly as he could so she would know that he meant it. He heard ma cry even harder and he cried too.

Like that

He watched them carefully. He'd always been a quiet child. An observer of things. He watched his mom and dad as they held hands tightly. He walked behind them a little, so he could watch. He was fascinated with watching them, just to see what they did. His mom turned round a smiled at him. "Come on, BJ." She said, holding her hand out for him to take. He did. He knew he wanted to love someone as much as mommy and daddy loved each other now.

Nursing wounds

"What is that mommy?" She asked curiously, even through the pain.

"It's something to make you better." Mother replied.

She wiped the small traces of blood from her daughters knee and then placed a white handkerchief over the wound. She tied it at the back to keep it secure. "How does that feel?" Her mother asked as she gently kissed her daughter's injured knee.

"Feels better." She replied.

"Good."

"Mommy, when I'm a big girl, I wanna do what you do." She responded, her young mind made up already.

"Be a mommy?" She asked.

"Make people better." That was the start of a young Nurse Bigelow's career.

Scars

He sat on his bed, his shoulders slumped forward. He wanted to talk. He wanted his mother and father to talk to him.

He mostly wanted to talk about Timmy and what had happened and why he'd gone away, he really didn't understand.

But he was not given the opportunity. It was as though things should just be normal again.

He wanted to ask question after question and demand answers, but he knew he had no right to do that. He had his parents about his day at school as usual and what he'd been taught, but that's not what he wanted to tell them about.

He wanted to confide in them, he'd been sent to bed early.

He knew they'd be talking. They were able to say whatever they wanted.

The best thing was not to think about it. He'd keep his questions hidden away and maybe one day, he'd be able to ask all those questions that his developing mind just couldn't comprehend right now.

For now, he'd stay quiet.

The End


End file.
